http://writergroupie.com/pblog/index.php http://writergroupie.com/pblog/index.php?entry=entry100405-225354
One is a critically acclaimed foreign drama exploring love and loss and sacrifice.

One is a surfer vampire direct-to-video horror-comedy with a crazy motorcycle and skateboard chase scene. It's a film which features an original cast member and one half-brother of another original cast member.

So which movie did I love? (Okay, like more than the other...)

Corey Feldman For The Win!!! (I really need to re-watch "Dream a Little Dream".)

Yup, call me utterly shallow, but of the two, the Lost Boys sequel was so much fun - I was just grinning watching the silliness of it all. I'd definitely watch that one again. Granted, in no small part due to the charms of yet another attractive Sutherland man (this time, Angus, son of Donald, half-bro of Kiefer).

Whereas with Let the Right One In - I'll take a gander at the American remake when that gets to dvd and see if that one is easier to watch, but I don't think I want to watch the original again. Really disturbing. I'd kind of expected something more along the lines of "Salem's Lot" and instead it was "The Hunger" with children. The key wrongness being they're children. Disturbing. Yeah.

But by contrast LB:TT was just the kind of silly lightness needed to counter it. It would make a great double-feature with either the original "Lost Boys" or with its tonal companion "Fright Night". It's hard to make a good horror comedy. But not impossible. And this was fun. So yeah, Corey for the win!]]> http://writergroupie.com/pblog/index.php?entry=entry100317-000437
Today Ron and John and Eric signed my Phil! So cool!]]> http://writergroupie.com/pblog/index.php?entry=entry100316-001722
It's been a while since I had a bunch of celebrity sightings like this outside of an event (such as the Alice Ultimate Fan Event which I owe a blog about). So that's why this week has been so surprising!

Now, most of the people I know weren't nearly as excited as I was when I told them about seeing some of these folks, but you know, I'd rather have had this week than a week full of so-called "A-Listers". It made me happy anyways.

So last week I was coming off of a high from seeing the new "Alice in Wonderland" movie (twice - once in 3D and once in 2D - and I owe a blog about this as well). Okay, I wasn't really coming down yet because I was still wearing a necklace with the Cheshire Cat and the Mad Hatter's hat on it and I was carrying an armful of magazines with Johnny Depp's picture on the cover and was probably humming music from the "Almost Alice" soundtrack (which I owe yet another blog about). So really, I suppose I was still fully immersed!

At any rate, I was approaching an elevator when I saw a handsome man in a nice suit standing also waiting for the elevator. By the time he turned and I saw his profile, I realized it was Michael Sheen. SQUEE!!!

Sorry, but I'll squee a thousand times over Michael Sheen before I squee for any Hollywood leading man. Not only is Michael a talented actor, but he's a very attractive guy. Rabbit. Vampire. Werewolf. Prime Minister. Etc.

He's also a gentleman as he waited for me to enter the elevator before he did. I asked which floor he was going to and hit the button for him. Then since I had the chance I smiled and said I was a big fan of his. He seemed (humbly) surprised and pleased at my recognizing him and thanked me. Again being in full Alice mode, I had to tell him he made an excellent rabbit. He laughed as I showed him my fannish necklace. He seemed to think it was rather cool and commented on how surprisingly good the opening weekend had been at the box office for the film. I agreed and congratulated him on it. Again he seemed modest in that endearingly British way and pleased at the compliment and thanked me as he exited the elevator. It was only at that point that I remembered I was carrying an armful of magazines with an Alice movie image on the cover and kicked myself for not asking him to sign one. Still, I had a lovely moment with a lovely man and it made my whole day.

And then the next day, when I was in a store and James Callis walked by me, I thought "what is up with all the gorgeous British men around here?" But James was walking quickly through the store and may have noticed that I froze like a deer in the headlights when I recognized him and by the time I figured I should go say something fannish to him, he'd left. Sigh. Still - gorgeous! I really loved his small role in "Bridget Jones' Diary" but it's of course his role as Baltar in "Battlestar Galactica" that made me a big fan. Kicked myself for that moment of paralyzed shyness that meant I didn't get to fuss over him.

One would think two gorgeous British actor sightings would be my quota for a month at least but then today I walked right into Gilles Marini. (Yes, I know, not British, but continuing the beautiful foreign actor theme...) He was with his wife so I was careful not to look like I was trying to hit on the guy (I wasn't - not my type but so sweet!). She probably has to put up with a lot of people drooling over her handsome hubby, but I really just wanted to say what I proceeded to: I leaned towards him and smiled and told him how much I'd enjoyed his part in the recent "Handsome Men's Club" skit on Jimmy Kimmel. I told him it was one of the funniest things I'd seen on TV in a while and that I'd enjoyed him in it. He smiled openly and thanked me very politely. He has a very winning, open way about him - I can see why people really like him. He just seems like a really cool guy. Which concurs with everything I'd heard about him from others.

That was it really, he and his wife went on their way and I went on mine. But it was a lovely cap to a week's worth of encounters with beautiful foreign men...]]> http://writergroupie.com/pblog/index.php?entry=entry100315-004335
Totally enjoyed "Flirt" but it's like an appetizer when you're craving a multi-course meal!

And what do you know - I think I am actually starting to miss Jean-Claude - and he's always been the least favorite of Anita's paranormal paramours for me. And of course, I miss my favorite, Asher. Not missing Richard so much though - that's a bit too much angst.]]> http://writergroupie.com/pblog/index.php?entry=entry100315-002828
Ah yes, I was goth, when goth wasn't cool. ;)

And the episode definitely holds up best of any of the ones I've re-watched on the dvd set so far.]]> http://writergroupie.com/pblog/index.php?entry=entry091125-002658
And to get it out of the way - the best TV miniseries EVER, ANYWHERE was Stephen King's IT. No doubt. No competition. The best. Perfection. From cast to writing... yeah, even with the silly ending/explanation. Don't care. Blame Stephen King for what 'it' was. But that mini is perfect.

Funny enough that also co-starred Dennis Christopher who appeared in The Lost Room. Small TV world, eh?

Oh, and previous second best U.S. mini which has now sadly been displaced to third best - Stephen King's Rose Red. Which I also still love and adore.

But I picked up The Lost Room because it was on sale last week on Amazon.com and as soon as I got it, I had to immediately re-watch it. And it's as good as the first time I saw it (just a few months back). Great cast - especially the recurring characters - and just insanely awesome writing. I mean, if I were to write a dream project, it would probably tonally be very similar - fantasy, sci-fi, horror, religious/spiritual, character dramedy. Just awesome sauce.

Why this was never made into a series is completely beyond my understanding. The writers certainly left it wide open for that. And I'd've loved to have seen where they went with the story.

But, we'll always have the miniseries...]]> http://writergroupie.com/pblog/index.php?entry=entry091116-014010
First, because McGoohan allowed it to be made at all - high praise indeed given his notorious protectiveness of it. And although I'd've loved to have seen the rumored Christopher Eccleston version of the tale, I was quite pleased with the casting of the always perfect Ian McKellan and the generally overlooked Jim Caviezel.

I'm a big fan of Caviezel's - I think he has a quiet intensity that critics don't appreciate while they praise flashier performers. But every time I see him on screen he captivates me with a quiet, roiling... under-performance... he never needs to shout because whatever he feels pours out of his skin and says it for him. I love watching him onscreen because he makes me pay attention.

So two hours into this six-hour mini-series, I am intrigued enough to continue watching. It's not as good as the original (not even close), but it's interesting unto itself, it has McKellan chewing the scenery and Caviezel being quiet, but suffering and intense. He's just so good at it.

It made me realize that if they had chosen to cast older, he'd've also made an excellent Spock in the Star Trek reboot. I love Zach Quinto, but Caviezel could have nailed that role too. Be nice to see him playing a Vulcan in a future film though - maybe Surak if they go that way or even Sybok if they go that way.

At any rate, another unexpected pleasure was one of those 'where do I know him from' casting choices for McKellan's son 11-12 - thanks to imdb it turns out that I'd recognized Jamie Campbell Bower from his role in "Sweeney Todd". He's got an unusual prettiness about him that made me recognize that I knew him but with shorter hair in this I didn't know from where. I'm hoping he'll have a bit more to do in the upcoming "Prisoner" episodes that will be airing tomorrow and Tuesday.

And if it is true that he has been cast as Grindelwald in the forthcoming Harry Potter movies, I think that is perfect casting - but I won't say why so as to avoid spoilers.]]> http://writergroupie.com/pblog/index.php?entry=entry091105-003408
No, you did not hear howls of terror from me, nor weeping in despair, because, short of a casting miracle, I won't be watching it anyway.

That said, they have one chance (and one bonus) of getting this right. As I fully expect this will be made on the cheap in Canada using an all Canadian cast (because otherwise they would normally hire Brits for this "American" remake), they can get this right in one way only:

Cast Kyle Schmid as Mitchell.

Yes, I know it's completely typecasting, but I also know he's the only one who can get this role right - the humor and the angst of it. This week I've been watching my new Season Two "Blood Ties" dvds and much as I adored Christina Cox and Dylan Neal, it was Kyle who was the unexpected attention-getter in the role, of course, of the vamp. And sadly, he hasn't seemed to have found a good juicy role since then.

The night before last I rewatched Steve Bacic's guest turn in one BT episode and realized that he would be the perfect Tully in a BH remake as well. He can pull off the gruff, danger, appeal and charm of the character and is always a pleasure to watch.

So there it is - two choices for perfect casting that would make me watch this show no matter who else they cast in it.

But I'm not holding my breath...]]> http://writergroupie.com/pblog/index.php?entry=entry091029-005309
Oh, and I really enjoyed "Jumper" - thought it was a lot of fun for a fluffy popcorn movie with a character with a cool power that I would have liked as a kid. And even Hayden Christensen wasn't bad in it. Though Jamie Bell rather stole the scenes he was in. "The Seeker" didn't work quite as well for me, mostly because it was trying too hard to be Harry Potter and it didn't need to be. It was first and was its own story and characters and mythology (and probably was one of the many influences for JK Rowling). The moments where the film didn't remind me of Harry Potter, I could actually rather enjoy it for what it was. And Christopher Eccleston is always a delight and was the reason I wanted to see it in the first place. LOL at him playing another doctor!]]> http://writergroupie.com/pblog/index.php?entry=entry091025-010811
Sleepy Hollow is worth sitting through in all its tedium for that incredible haunting shot of a horse emerging from the roots of a tree.

Ghost Rider is worth suffering through (just barely) - or even better, fast forwarding through - for an equally amazing image of a ghostly horse racing a motorcycle.

And this film, while 'merely' pleasantly diverting (as opposed to great), is still far far better than either of those two and yet still it shares one thing in common - an FX moment of unforgettable power. In this case, absolutely beautiful... no, poetic... images of werewolves turning from human to wolves. These moments in the film are balletic, acrobatic, artistic, breathtaking.

I'll readily admit that werewolves take a far distant second place in my heart behind vampires. But perhaps due to the glut of vampire stories in pop culture of late, the weres are growing in my esteem.

And truly, there are times were they can even outshine vampires in my estimation. Of all the classic Universal monster movies, I dearly love the original Wolf Man above all. Far far more entertaining and compelling to me than Dracula (despite the gorgeous performance of Bela Lugosi in the latter). And in my current deep literary love - Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake books - the vampires pale (if you'll pardon the pun) to my love of her far more fascinating were cultures and characters. And there are several werewolf movies I adore (from An American Werewolf in London to Wolf to my all-time favorite The Company of Wolves); and I was one of the handful who truly enjoyed the short-lived TV series Wolf Lake.

Yet while I did not fall in love with "Blood & Chocolate", I certainly enjoyed it, though it was not much deeper than your average boy meets wolf story. The cast was appealing, the score and soundtrack notable. But it was the extraordinary sequences of man to wolf transformation that make this film a must see for any were-fan. Just beautiful - children of the night.]]> http://writergroupie.com/pblog/index.php?entry=entry091022-020837
Can I strongly suggest Aerosmith's "Walk This Way"?

Seriously, try it - it works.

Of course the best mash-up is one that's almost three decades old:

Olivia Newton-John with a big band backup vs. The Tubes new wave - the mashed-up tune is called "Dancin'". Strange combination of sounds, but it works so well!

]]> http://writergroupie.com/pblog/index.php?entry=entry091006-011244
I think this movie would be a good companion piece to "28 Days Later" - though that is by far the superior film of the two as it is at its heart a morality tale - a study in humanity questioning exactly who are the monsters? This "Legend" is a far simpler tale - a good character study and a chance to enjoy the always watchable Will Smith, who, if he isn't my favorite actor, is definitely my favorite movie star. When one goes to see a Will Smith film, one can guarantee with 99% likelihood an enjoyable film experience. I say 99% only because 7 Pounds just sounds terrible and Hancock doesn't particularly call my name, but I have enjoyed everything I've seen Will Smith in from "Fresh Prince" onward. Yes, including "Wild Wild West". Yeah, I'm the one who likes that movie. And I'm a fan of the original TV show which it had very very little to do with.

But here's the thing - as with this movie - if you're going to take great source material and NOT make a faithful adaptation (though making a faithful one is always preferable of course - I'm talking to you Harry Potter movies - don't keep straying from the path!) - at least make an enjoyable movie unto itself. And if you do that, even if you haven't exactly honored the source material, you've still provided entertainment value. Though again, first choice is always a faithful adaptation.

PostScript to note a parallel between this film and "Stranger Than Fiction" - Emma Thompson plays an onscreen expert being interviewed in both!]]> http://writergroupie.com/pblog/index.php?entry=entry091005-023503
This week I bought two of the films that I'd checked out as rentals earlier in the year - The Rocketeer (which I think makes a wonderful companion piece to another completely unappreciated film, The Phantom) and Hoodwinked - one of probably only two non-Disney animated films made in the last decade or so that I thought was truly wonderful - the other being The Iron Giant. Hopefully I'll have time to rewatch both of these soon.

Other watching goodness this week included finally seeing one high up on my 'want to see' list which was the Spanish film The Orphanage. Dark, spooky and very atmospheric - it reminded me a lot of Pan's Labyrinth (no surprise as it was exec. produced by that film's director, Guillermo Del Toro) and for some reason The Others - which I liked the premise of but hated the film itself. Maybe I need to rewatch that one again to give it another try - maybe it wasn't as totally boring as I remember. Mmm... nah.]]> http://writergroupie.com/pblog/index.php?entry=entry091005-021558
But really, I'd been wanting to watch the BBC version of Jekyll since I first heard about it because Steven Moffat wrote it. So I knew it would be fantastic. And no disappointment - it was terrific! It went in directions I never expected and made character and plot choices that were a surprising delight.

I was already a fan of several of the actors in the production already - I adored Paterson Joseph in "Neverwhere" and I really enjoyed Michelle Ryan in her recent appearance in Doctor Who. I also have a deep fondness for Leo Bill who has a brief role in one episode of this mini-series. And of course seeing a cameo by Mark Gatiss brought a smile to my face as well.

But the revelation was James Nesbitt who was so incredible in the lead role(s) that he left me breathless watching him. If Steven Moffat's writing was pure genius, then Nesbitt managed to live up to that quality in his performance. Dark, disturbing, compelling, appealing, sympathetic - simply marvelous. My thanks to Steven Moffat for gifting us with the script and to James Nesbitt for performing the hell out of it!]]> http://writergroupie.com/pblog/index.php?entry=entry090913-174451
a) Ryan Murphy is amazing with the quirky characters he creates

b) Jane Lynch is Jane Lynch

c) Matthew Morrison is totally adorable when he sings Kanye

d) Lea Michele is a revelation and all that other good stuff they say about someone who is really wonderfully talented


But I think Vampire Diaries has the (ironically) better chance of survival. Glee is too quirky good to last.
]]> http://writergroupie.com/pblog/index.php?entry=entry090913-163616
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. It's cliched, trite Kevin Williamson silliness (though granted based on a series of teen novels that he did not write). And it's totally irresistible. Although given how many of the recent o.d.'d vampire crop I've managed to skip (Moonlight, True Blood and Twilight - I'm talkin' to you), I actually might have given this one a pass too if it weren't for Paul Wesley. Okay, yeah, and Ian Somerhalder too - who looks like he's having a field day in the plush baddie role here. But Paul Wesley got my attention back when he was playing werewolf in Wolf Lake. There was something about him that was more interesting than your average young pretty actor and I was surprised when he wasn't immediately snatched up on some other show. But it looks like he'll have a nice fit here as the angsty good guy vamp. Plus, I can never resist the 'two guys, one girl' combo - I mean, can't beat those numbers, right? It worked for me on Forever Knight, Witchblade, Blood Ties - why not here too?

I like the young female lead too, even if she is pure Shiri Appleby wannabe - of course that works out just fine when you're on a supernatureal WB... whoops... CW show about a pretty, diary-writing young girl who happens to be loved passionately by a guy who's... not quite like the other guys. Oh, and I like the kid (Steve McQueen's grandson?) who plays the messed up younger brother. He has a nice believable intensity. In fact, I like the whole cast including the perky bff, the sad ex-bf, the ditzy blonde - even the bully is good at being annoying.

So yeah. This is my new show. Sigh.]]> http://writergroupie.com/pblog/index.php?entry=entry090821-204844
The first few minutes I was just trying not to be nauseous from the motion/digital 3D combo, so I probably didn't appreciate it as much until my stomach and eyes settled a few minutes into the preview.

Like when I watched Coraline in 3D I found the ill-fitting glasses painful to wear, so I had to spend part of this preview (and almost all of Coraline) holding the glasses off of my nose and ears because they hurt to wear. So that also didn't help me just fall into what I was watching.

I'll acknowledge that I wasn't blown away - not by the tech as utilized and certainly not by the story or dialogue or stock characters (the gruff military man, the cocky independent hero, the tough but passionate heroine, etc.).

There were moments that reminded me of everything from The Abyss to Jurassic Park to A.I. to The Dark Crystal. So super-original - not so much.

The audience itself responded to a few sequences with polite applause. But there was no whooping and hollering in the theater either before, during or after. Again, just appreciative applause and quiet discussion of what had been shown. Not the best sign, considering the insane demographics of the audience I sat with:

95% of the people in the theater were under 40.
4 out of 5 were young guys in their 20's-late 30's.

This was the money demo and they did not seem overly excited by what they saw.

All that said, I am still struck by many of the beautiful images in the film. I think it will play better worldwide than domestically due to small translation needs. And I think it will change the game. Not necessarily with this film itself, but with what Cameron pioneered in its creation.

Once you get past the motion sickness effect LOL it's an extraordinarily amazing thing to watch. And I kept thinking - oh, I would love to see this tech used in a story I loved! I particularly kept thinking of Anne McCaffrey's Pern series - I would love to finally see Pern properly realized in such a beautiful way like this. To ride the Dragons and fight the Thread with this kind of beauty... would be extraordinary.

So I tip my hat to Cameron - he may not have created a brilliant film, but he gave us an even better gift - the ability to make brilliant films in the future thanks to his ability to lead the way.]]> http://writergroupie.com/pblog/index.php?entry=entry090809-214529
And like so many other top comedic performers (Robin Williams, Bill Murray, etc.), when set a sympathetic dramatic role, they rise and surmount the task unexpectedly. Will Farrell was gentle, understated, charming - a pleasantly surprising break from his manic comic persona. Emma Thompson is of course always perfect. And the rest of the cast, particularly Maggie Gyllenhaal and Dustin Hoffman worked their magic as well.

In the tale of a writer and character fighting for inspiration and meaning, both succeed wonderfully.

At moments I was reminded of Jim Carrey's poignant turn in "The Truman Show" (another sweet character who protests having his life scripted for him). At others, particularly the ending, I was reminded of "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" and a bit of "Doogie Howser, M.D.". But in all, I was heartened, entertained and brought just a little more magic by the director who also appealed with "Finding Neverland". Bravo to all involved. Lovely.]]> http://writergroupie.com/pblog/index.php?entry=entry090806-213205
"30 Days of Night" also takes a different view from their current place in pop culture - here returning vampires to their pre-Rice/pre-Hamilton/pre-Meyer roots as monsters and predators, vultures feeding on their fallen and falling prey. In what seems like an obvious idea - vampires visit a town in Alaska with 30 straight days of night - at times it plays out like "And Then There Were None" with the victims falling one by one. And other times it aspires to be "28 Days Later" - another brilliant film that re-energized the tired zombie tropes and made them truly frightening beasts once again. But whereas that film is also a keen morality tale on deciphering who the monsters really are, "30 Days" simply goes for scary and gory with a love story to keep you invested in the leads.

This film had some vivid imagery, including shots that seemed composed right out of its graphic novel source. Though the pacing at times had varied success - the first 15 minutes were slow, but once a vampire is seen surmounting a moving vehicle, the film turns into something more fresh and dangerous. A good if mostly unknown cast lends credence to the proceedings - when one doesn't know who is the 'star', one can't tell who may survive or not.

The film is dark and takes some unexpected turns - and ultimately it makes one wonder what director David Slade will do when he takes over the helm of the third film in the much... angst-ier... Twilight vampire franchise. Or not.]]> http://writergroupie.com/pblog/index.php?entry=entry090804-215314
Okay, one can wonder if Hugh Grant will ever outgrow the boy-man who only grows up when he submits to real love role or if Drew Barrymore is ever more entrancing than as the quirky but lovable loser that we're all rooting for to get the adorable guy... and yet... if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

True, the music video "Pop! Goes My Heart" was tear-inducingly funny and probably the most memorable part of the film, but there was also plenty of witty dialogue, tender moments and sweet sappy pop music. If the story was predictable in a 'boy meets girl, boy gets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back' way, it was compensated for by the charm with which the formula was executed. How would he lose her? How would he get her back?

As with "Nine Months", still my favorite Hugh Grant film, a funny supporting cast fills out and adds to the craziness in wonderful ways.

So while "Music & Lyrics" may not surpass my love for "Never Been Kissed", "The Wedding Singer" and "Ever After", it's certainly been added to my Drew movie marathon faves.

Pop! Goes My Heart!]]>